Vegetable Curry

Vegetable curry before the coconut milk

I pulled some odds and ends of vegetables from the fridge the other day to make this vegetable curry with coconut milk.

A curry is simply a spiced stew - there are as many variations on the seasoning that goes in a curry as there are cooks. For this version I ground fenugreek, cumin, coriander and mustard seeds in my mini coffee grinder, along with some dried turmeric and cayenne. It was a spicy well-bodied mixture with a hint of sweetness from the fenugreek.

I also added some leaves from my new curry plant (Murraya koenigii). Before Christmas when it was cold and dry, I bought a few spice plants to warm my spirits, including a tiny curry plant. It's supposed to grow well outdoors in southern California, so I'm hoping to have a grove of it one day. For now it's a sprig in a pot. The leaves are used in cooking and then removed, like bay leaves. They don't have the traditional curry aroma of cumin and turmeric. Instead they are floral and spicy. I'm quite excited by this, but I think the dish would be equally good without them. (Dried curry leaves can be purchased at Indian groceries.)

The coconut milk made a lovely sauce that coated the brown rice I served the curry on.

With a side of sautéed greens, this was a nicely warming meal on a cool evening.

Blanching the vegetables ahead makes it a quick dish to put together, even though it's a little tedious. It also helps to have the vegetables diced very small, so this is a good time to practice knife work. My grandmother used to make vegetable curry with a tin of mixed veg. I can see why.

But of course, there's nothing like fresh organic produce, even if it means a little more prep work in the kitchen.

Vegetable Curry
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 1/2 tsp brown mustard seeds
1 tsp ground cayenne
3/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
3/4 tsp ground turmeric
3 cups diced potatoes
1 cup small cauliflower florets
2 small turnips, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 cup peeled and diced celery root (celeriac)
2 carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick (about 1 cup)
2 cups chopped cabbage
2 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
4 sprigs of curry leaves
1 cup unsweetened canned coconut milk
salt and pepper

Grind the coriander, cumin, mustard, cayenne, fenugreek and turmeric until powdered. Set aside.

Blanch the potatoes in boiling water until tender - about 5 minutes depending on the size of your dice. Plunge in cold water to stop the cooking, then drain and set aside.

Combine the cauliflower, turnips, celery root and carrots and blanch 2 minutes until tender. Plunge in cold water, drain and set aside.

Blanch the cabbage, cool, set aside.

Warm the ghee or oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and cook until the edges are browned. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant. Stir in the spice mixture and the curry leaves and stir until fragrant, another 30 seconds. Add the potatoes and mixed vegetables and sauté another minute. Add the coconut milk and let everything heat through.Stir in the cabbage and simmer a couple more minutes until everything is tender. Add extra water if necessary to keep a nice sauce.

Season with plenty of salt and freshly ground pepper.

Serve over brown rice.

Serves 4